A Christians Death
by Bubbles1
Summary: While escaping from an Oz base, Heero and Duo find and emotionally wrecked Christian officer, Deciding to take him with them, their decision will have dire consequences; or save someon's life
1. the rescue

~ This is in response to a challenge sent to me from a friend

~ This is in response to a challenge sent to me from a friend. I don't know much about Christianity however, so bear with me. I decided to give you poor people a legend so you won't get that confused.~

// Thoughts//

_Bible quotes_

_ _

Paul strode forward, his Oz boot's clicking on the metal floor.His palms were wet and clammy, his forehead damp. He had been ordered to 'break' the gundam pilot in cell 3, and he really didn't want to do this. Really.

Heero's eyes swept over the Oz officer, He immediately analyzed the boy.//Older then me by about a year. Good build, hmm, several bruises on his arms and face. Nervous, he looks like he's going to throw up//

Paul felt so nervous; here he was, standing in a cell opposite the biggest threat to Oz. This…boy...had killed dozens of officers, generals and captains. Yet, he was standing here, only a pair of handcuffs keeping the killing machine away from him. 

"wh-what is your na-name?"

Heero nearly laughed out loud. This kid was scared shitless of him. He glared at the boy, who cowered, but brought up his gun.

""I-I'm warning you. I'll shoot if you-you don't-tell me!"

Heero didn't move, Paul tried again.

"Please! Please tell me! I- I really need to know!"

"My my, aren't we jittery"

Paul jumped with shock, dropping his gun in the process. Duo strode out of the shadows, his gun idly twirling around his index finger. Paul cowered further as Duo released Heero. 

"P-p-please don't hurt me-me! You can go, but dear gosh don't kill me!" 

Tears were streaming down Paul's face as he fell to the ground, drawing his knees up to his chest. Duo looked at Heero, horrified. //What happened to make this guy so scared of...anything?//

Heero pulled his gun out of Duo's pack as the latter crouched next to the Oz officer. Duo reached out to touch him, but Paul drew back with a whimper. Heero also knelt down accidentally pointing his gun at Paul's head. Seeing the barrel, the Officer knelt, clasping his hands in front and bowing his head.

"Dear lord who art in heaven, take my life and cherish it as I have yours, for I have never taken a life, and if mine is to be taken, please make it quick! Striketh down the one that has sinned, so that the devil may take his soul to the holy world below! Amen"

Duo pushed Heero's gun away and pulled apart Paul's hands. Clasped firmly between them was pure silver cross attached to a chain.

"You're catholic!"

Duo nearly yelled out. Paul looked up at him sadly.

"Yah"

"Then why are you here? It's against your religion to kill?"

"I know, but Oz said if I didn't join them, they would kill my family. But they did anyway, now I'm stuck here. Now kill me to relieve this misery from my life, and I can join thou who art in heaven"

"No!" 

Duo grabbed Paul around the shoulders and dragged him up. Pushing him into the corridor, He was forcefully pulled through the halls. Heero took care of any guards and in seconds they were out of the base.Paul collapsed in the bushes at the side of the forest, Emotionally drained. Suddenly, strong arms pulled him up again around his waist; a gun was pointed at the base of his skull, the cold metal making the victim shiver. Hearing the safety click off was enough for Paul, he fainted.

Wufei dropped the senseless bundle to the forest floor again, looking at the Oz officer in surprise.

"Did he just faint?"

"I think your gun did him in"

"Look at his face, he's as pale as death itself, 'cept for the bruises"

"And why, Maxwell, for I believe this was your idea, do we have an enemy sitting beside us?"

"He's catholic, he could be of some use to us"

"A catholic oz officer? Now I've seen everything. Let's get in the car, Quatre's waiting with Trowa at his mansion"

Duo easily picked Paul up. //geez, he's light as a feather, must get him to eat more//

Once inside the car, Paul began to wake up again. Wufei was driving the Honda civic while Heero rode shotgun, making Duo the one to sit beside his new 'friend'. Duo reached over Paul's body to click on the seatbelt, but didn't get far enough. The officer shrieked bloody murder, pulling his entire body into a fetal position. 

"Don't hurt me don't hurt me don't hurt me please please please don't hurt me" 

"Shhhh, Paul it's ok, you're safe"

Wufei was watching this from the rearview mirror, having just had his eardrums broken with the infernal screaming. //man, what a weakling, he must be scared of his own shadow.//

Paul wasn't even awake fully, but his sleepy state kept him from completely freaking out. Knowing this would just make things worse later, Duo still did it. Taking his gun, he hit Paul on the head with the handle. Blacking out, the mumblings stopped, for which the car's passengers were thankful.

"Damn Maxwell, what'd you guys do to that guy?"

"It wasn't us Wufei, I think Oz beat him, or did something to the guy."

"He looks like he's our age, how would he get into Oz?"

"We don't know, we'll ask him at Quatre's house"

"We need to tie him down"

"Hahaha, you think he's gonna escape Wu-Man, Oz killed his family, he has no where to go"

Wufei shrugged as he pulled into Quatre's driveway. The blonde rushed out to meet them, his face wreathed in smiles. Duo returned the gesture as he pulled out Paul. Quatre gasped, grabbing his gun out of its safety holder and aiming it errorless. Wufei easily and calmly took the gun out of Quatre's hand.

"Duo's new catholic pet"

He said, nodding toward the bundle in the Deathsycthe pilot's arms. Duo grinned again as Quatre gave him a weird look. Shaking his head, Duo went in the house, laying Paul down on the couch. Trowa came in, but had already been alerted by Heero, so gave no comment. He sat on the coffee table, waiting for the OZ officer to come around. Wufei joined him, a soda in hand. Soon, all 5 pilots were sitting around the room, waiting. Heero finally got impatient and dug out his smelling salts.

Paul woke up, his first thought to close his eyes again, but there was no smell of men here. Cautiously, he opened first one eye, then the other. By habit only, He started to tremble at the sight of the 5 boys. Duo, he recognized, and the pilot gave him a cheeky smile.

"What's your name"

Wufei asked, his tone cold. Paul cringed, fearing to be hit.

"p-p-Paul. Sir"

Wufei smiled slightly at being called 'sir'. It was a technique obviously taught at Oz.

"Why were you at Oz?"

Again Paul cringed at the tone.

"M-my family was killed," Tears started to course down his face, " I wanted to keep away from them, but I was gang-pressed into joining"

"Do you have any skills?"

Paul seemed to brighten up somewhat.

"I'm good at fixing things, I was fixing all the Taros and Libras back at Base"

Wufei looked to the others, Heero was brining out his gun to polish, forgetting about the oz officers fear.

"oh, man,"

Paul said, eyes on the gun, trying to get off the couch, out of Heero's firing range. Quatre raced forward to intercept him, but was too late. Fear lent speed to the boy's feet, and he was off. They heard a door slam shut on the hallway next to them. 

"Closet"

Quatre intones, knowing his house like the aback of his hands.

"I'll get him"

Duo was too busy glaring at Heero to notice Trowa lave the room, or that he had actually spoken for once. Walking down the hall, Trowa opened the closet and knelt down, he could hear sobbing from beneath the coat hem.

"dear lord, I'm so sorry if I did anything to up-set you! But please lord! Don't let them kill me, not yet. I would love to spend eternity with you, but I want to live a little"

Trowa stepped a bit closer to Paul, who jumped with shock, pushing himself against the wall in a vain attempt to escape. 

"g-g-g-get back you!!!!I have a weapon"

Paul grabbed the first thing that came to hand, a roll of toilet paper. //stupid storage closet//

"it's ok, just come out, no one is going to hurt you"

Paul glared at him distrustfully. Trowa sighed, as he extended his hand toward the boy. Paul hissed menacingly like a cornered animal. Trowa knew that there was no way the oz officer would listen to him, so he got the one boy he would.

"DUO!"

Sighing, the braided pilot came into the hall, taking Trowa's spot.

"come on out Paul, no one will hurt you, I promise"

But the boy was stubborn, not even Duo could get the youth out of the closet. Growling with frustration, Duo sat down. He was a fighter, not some stupid negotiator. Heero, Quatre and Wufei walked into the spacious hall.

"Have you got him out yet?"

"What do you think?"

"Well, since he's still in the closet, I'm thinking no."

"Brilliant Einstein"

Paul was rambling now, his eyes huge.

"From out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false, witness, slanders."

Duo stared at him.

"Mathew 15:19"

Paul looked up at him, the beginnings of a smile on his lips.

"Do you know the bible, Duo?"

"_But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those that hate you"_

"Luke 6:27. If you know that one, then you must know_, bless those that curse you, pray for those who mistreat you"_

"Luke 6:28. My favorite one at the orphanage. You know your God well Paul. Do you want to come out of the closet know?"

"Will you hurt me?"

"_Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor."_

"Thank you Duo Maxwell"

"Never thank the lord doings, only the work that was put forth."

Duo extended his hand, which Paul grabbed thankfully. He seemed much more composed now, the wild light extinguished in his eyes. Stepping onto the green carpet, he smiled. 

"I thank you, all my life I have wished to be a priest. Now I have a chance for it to come true"

"I wish it was that simple Paul, but Oz gave you a password for everything didn't they?"

"Well, yes they did, I had level 8 clearance so I could get the en-coded transmissions. I was warned that if I ever told I would be killed."

He shivered slightly.

"But.. I want to break the hold Oz has on me, I want to be free. Suffer no more under their rule"

"Uh…does that mean you'll tell us the codes?"

"Yes"

"How do we know that you won't lie?"

Both Paul and Duo bristled sharply.

"_Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those that hear it"_

"Uh, that's great Paul. But since I believe in Allah, would you mind telling me what you just said in normal English"

"God's followers do not lie!"

Wufei looked at him strangely

"Then why not just say that, instead of that other long paragraph?"

"Quoting the bible gives me strength"

Heero raised an eyebrow, wondering how on earth some silly little book could give someone strength. He shrugged at his own question. //just because I don't follow a religion gives me no right to question anyone else's// He mentally berated himself. //Duo believes in the bible, so I mustn't call it a silly little book. I might hurt his feelings//

"Paul, when did you last have a doctor look at you?"

"Never"

"We should call Sally to give you a checkup"

"God will keep me well. I have my faith to stay well"

Wufei growled. //the weakling needs to see a doctor. His God better let him do that! //

"Well Paul, I don't believe in god, so I'm making you have a check up"

The boy gasped out loud at Heero's remark, then started Quoting like crazy.

"Then I shall guide you to the one true god! _I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will council you with my eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule who have no understanding; whose trappings include the bit and the bridle to hold them in check otherwise they will not come near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord; loving kindness shall surround him" _

__The only way to shut him up was to leave. Heero did just that. He had no reason for religion. He didn't believe. Soldiers didn't need to believe. He went to the vid-phone to give Sally a ring. 

~ok, how was that? I'm not sure if this was just a flop of a story, or something worth continuing. Please tell me when you review.~


	2. The realization

~Ok, first of all, I am not a Christian, which makes this story really hard to write

~Ok, first of all, I am not a Christian, which makes this story really hard to write. So I'm sorry if I screw up! ~

"Of course I'll come up Heero, but, there must be other Christian Oz officers, what does this Paul have that made his faith his life line? And isn't Duo Catholic?"

"Thanks Sally, Duo? Hmm, I know he wanted to be a priest before the war ever started. He grew up in a Catholic church as an Orphanage. He knows the bible. Him and Paul were exchanging psalms or something"

Sally raised an eyebrow on the Vid-screen.

"Do you believe in God Heero?"

The perfect soldier stiffened. He had no reason to say he did. The idea that some supreme being ruled over Humans seemed ridiculous to the soldier. He had no reason for faith, no time, and most of all. Didn't want to turn into Paul. The thought of him as a scared cat in a storage closet brought an amused smile to his face. He answered Sally truthfully before ending the transmission.

"No"

//Sally has a point however. There have to be more then one Christian officer in Oz. Not all of them must be like Paul. Are they? // striding into the living room, he surveyed the immediate area. Paul and Duo in earnest conversation on one sofa. Quatre sipping a cup of tea on the other. Wufei nowhere in sight, and Trowa reading in the corner. Looking out the large picture window to his immediate left, Heero saw the Chinese boy practicing with his Katana on the lawn. // Surprise surprise// 

"Sally is coming in several minutes to give Paul a checkup"

"I assure you that I do not need any medical assistance. You however, need to look to god for life like I have."

Heero sighed. Shaking his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trembling lieutenant stood before his C.O. The news that Paul Hartnett had run away with the two pilots had not made the man happy. After reviewing the cell tapes, both General and lieutenant understood that Paul had not exactly fought against either pilot as to his abduction.

"Does Paul still have the level 8 clearance to get into the encrypted messages? And why did we give level 8 clearance to a damn mechanic? But most of all, why did a mechanic go to interrogate the pilot?"

The General's voice was calm, but inside he was seething. 

"Uh, with all do respect sir, it was not my fault. After we captured the Gundam pilot, everything was given a level 8 clearances for safety measure. He needed it to get into the hanger and the shop. As for the encrypted messages, we sent them from the battle field telling him what up-grades would help us most so he could put them on the suits he was repairing. And, well, as to the interrogation…."

Here the poor man stopped, fearing to go any farther. The General picked up for him.

"Let me guess, you and your friends chickened out, so you bullied Paul into doing it?"

Nodding miserably, the officer never saw the strike that felled him. General Toscow stood over him, his face beet red with anger.

"Lieutenant Pied! You are to find this deserter and bring him to me. Alive, is that understood."

"A-a-ab-absoluetly sir. But, shouldn't we change the codes for the level 8 clearance"

This awarded Pied a kick to the stomach for his ignorance.

"We can't change the codes until 72 hours after the first change imbecile. The Ships functions need that long to get orientated with level 8! Now find him!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quatre went to open the door for Sally. The kind women had brought her medical bag and a several others were in her van. Tipping a wink to the young Arab, she walked into the kitchen. Setting her bag on the large table, she stood ready for her patient. Too bad it wasn't the other way around.

"Come on Paul! It's just a little checkup"

"NO!!!! I will not betray my faith in god by seeing a doctor!"

"She may be weak women, but her knowledge in medicine is quite large"

Sally walked in to hear the last comment made.

"Why Wufei, I didn't know you cared"

The Chinese boy glared openly at her, then started mumbling under his breath about weakness. Laughing to herself at both the mumbling Pilot and the situation the others were in, Sally smirked. Paul was holding on for dear life to the sofa cushions, while Heero pulled on his legs. Trowa was trying to pry away the fingers with no such luck, and poor Duo was desperately trying to convince Paul that it was all right.Wufei didn't help the situation when he yelled.

"Get your weak Ass of the couch you stupid scared cat! You are worse then a women you weakling!"

"_Therefor I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distress, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, I am strong"_

"I do not care what your ridiculous book says! I don't give a damn about your stupid God! Get off the couch!"

Paul let go. Surprised that he had, Heero went sailing backward to land on the other couch. Paul got up very quickly, standing in front of Wufei without an ounce of fear in him.

"My god is not stupid"

His fists were clenched, ready for a hit, ready to hurt this man as punishment for his insults.But the bible decreed Pacifism. //But I will go against my Bible for the sake of my god! //Wufei smirked at the thought of this weakling actually hitting him. //I could stop his punch before it even got close to me// 

"I will not strike you down, for that would be sinking to your own level. Something none could do"

Wufei seemed visibly struck by the pointed barbs. He seethed silently before snarling and leaving the room. Paul sat down hard on one of the sofa. Putting his head in his hands, and crying softly. 

"Oh Gosh, my my! What have I done?"

Sally gently pulled Quatre into the kitchen. The other 3 pilots followed, leaving Paul Hartnett to himself in the living room. 

"From the look of the boy as he sits now, I really would like to examine him in full. But since he doesn't want to be examined, then I can't do anything."

"Unless we drug him"

"Duo! How can you even think of such a thing!?"

"I'm the Shinigami, I can think of anything."

"Obviously, but how do we do that?"

"Easy, I'll give him a drink now with a bit of nighty-night pills in them and poof, he's out"

"What are we going to tell him when he wakes up?"

"Uh, I'll think of that later."

"Oh, Duo, what are Nighty-night pills?"

"Never mind Q-man."

Paul didn't look up as Duo handed him a cup of warm milk. Nor did he notice anything amiss as he drank the sweet liquid, flavored with lot's of sugar. He leaned against Duo's broad shoulder for a minute, and then was snoring gently. The Shinigami smiled broadly.

Giggling quietly he pushed the sleeping man to the side, where he hit the armrest without a change in composure. Sally entered and ushered the braided man out the room, seating herself at the other man's head. 

Wufei entered the kitchen to get a drink, seeing the smug expression on the faces of his friends he shuddered. Duo looked like he had just been into mischief. A look he knew very well from the numerous pranks that had been played on him. But this smile, it was even bigger then the time Nataku had been painted bright pink. With flowers. Purple flowers on a neon pink background, to be precise. Thinking back to the guts it had taken Maxwell to pull such a stunt, he must have done something audacious to have such a smile on know.Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked in a tone that told the others he was just asking, not really wanting to know. He was asking out of boredom. Sure.

"Duo drugged the Christian so Sally could take a look at him"

"Maxwell drugged his pet? What's this 'Christian' going to think when he wakes up?"

They all turned to look at Duo, expecting him to answer with another hair brained scheme.

"Gonna tell him Wufei punched him"

"What! Kasami! I may not be friends with him, but I would not punch him because I felt like it Maxwell!"

"Sure You Would Wufei, You do to me all the time"

"Only because you are a dumb braided baka"

"I resent that"

"Resent it all you like it still is true"

"Nope"

"Yes"

"Nope infinity"

"You are so immature Maxwell"

Turning his back on his so-called 'ally', Wufei didn't see Duo stick his tongue out at him. Heero, however, did and gave the braid a sharp reprimanding tug. Sally decided to enter then. Her eyes were downcast as she sat wearily down. Trowa wordlessly handed her a soda. Looking up at the expectant faces. Sally winced. //this is not going to be easy// she knew. 

"Well, I finished. Gave him a complete physical"

"And?"

"Geez, it's not really good"

"Define 'not really'"

"Damn it! It's not fair!"

"Sally! Just tell us instead of procrastinating!"

"Fine! The bruises and scratches on his arms and face are from several beatings. Randomly spaced out. It's what's under the uniform that gets me angry. Paul Hartnett was sexually abused less then a month ago. Several times from what I can tell."

The room was silent. //he was raped. By Oz// duo thought. Too dumbstruck to get angry. Quatre's voice was sub-dude, he sounded like, he was going to cry.

"Why?"

"Who knows Quatre? I don't. Never have I seen such abuse in all my years as a doctor. There are several-"

She didn't get to finish the sentence. Because in the other room, Noin just entered, looking for Sally. And the recently checked out Man let loose a heart-rending scream of pure fear. It came to all the people in the kitchen at once. //Noin doesn't know he's no longer of Oz! He's still in his uniform! Does Noin ever go anywhere without her gun? //


End file.
